I am a prepper who has survived three natural disasters. That doesn’t mean I am special by any means. I feel my experience is nothing more than a testimony of God’s Amazing Grace. As a retired Pastor and soon-to-be retired employee of North Carolina’s Prison system, I write to you as a southern Appalachian hillbilly with some prepping experience that may benefit you. This article is a firsthand account of my personal survival experience with three natural disasters that have affected me during my lifetime.
To begin with, you should be familiar with the region where I live. I was born, raised, and still live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. What many today call prepping has been and remains a way of life in these hills. We raise gardens, and many also raise livestock. We also preserve our own vegetables. These home-canned goods along with hunting and fishing supplement our meat supply. None of this is a guarantee that what you have will prevent loss of life, property, or utilities during any natural disaster. Like everyone, we experience seasonal flooding and snowfall often up to a foot, and we are familiar with and prepared for the effects of these weather conditions. We were unprepared for direct impacts from hurricanes and blizzards. As stated in my opening, what follows are my experiences with three natural disasters: Hurricane Hugo (1989), the Blizzard of 1993 (a super-storm), and Hurricane Helene (2024). Let’s take them in order.
Before 1989, when Hurricanes came inland on the southeast coast, the Blue Ridge and Appalachians would push the storm northeast, giving us several days of rainfall and some flooding. But Hurricane Hugo was different. Hugo made landfall near Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, with 140 mph winds, making it a solid Category 4 storm. Instead of breaking up into a tropical storm, Hugo maintained hurricane-force winds as it entered Charlotte, North Carolina, moving in a northwest direction.
I’m not trying to diminish the effects Hugo had on South Carolina or the Piedmont of North Carolina. The powerful impact of a Hurricane has previously impacted those areas but not in the Mountains of North Carolina. The wind and rain come to us. There were record-breaking floods, trees were uprooted and broken down, roofs were blown away, and tornadoes were spawned. It all happened at once. The power was out, roads were blocked, and telephones were not operating; the small rural community I live in was isolated from even the closest town.
How do we begin to address this problem? I took a walk around my small acreage to assess the damage. We were blessed; our property fared well compared to others in the community: no structural damage and only limbs blown from trees. My wife and mother began taking inventory of the food we had on hand. First, we ate from the refrigerator because it would spoil first. I started getting a radio up and running, only to discover that no local stations were operating. Their power was out, and at that time, no backup power was working. It would be almost 24 hours before our local AM radio station returned to the air. Their reports were worse than expected.
Search and rescue teams, along with law enforcement, were working to locate residents and clear roadways. My neighbors and I assisted the local fire department in clearing trees that blocked the road and provided access to downed power lines.
The priorities we set for food were to eat from the refrigerator first, then the freezer, then our home-canned goods. We also had a stock of grocery store canned goods to choose from. We were fortunate, like our neighbors, we had food and shelter. Many in the surrounding communities and the local town were forced into public shelters. For some, it was the best decision possible due to health issues or the stress of the situation.
Before moving on, let’s review a few things I learned from Hurricane Hugo. Don’t rely too heavily on frozen food if you live in a warm summer climate. Unless, of course, you have a generator and a sustainable fuel supply to keep your freezer operating. If you live in a flood-prone area, then store all of your goods at a safe height, above the potential high water line. I recommend above waist high or higher. I realize that none of us can predict what lies ahead, but we can strive to do our best to prepare for the most practical scenario. The higher that you place your food and sundries, or anything for that matter, the safer they are. Consider lighting that does not produce heat, i.e., LED lighting. Outside temperatures warm after the storm passes.
Freeze-dried or dehydrated food may lack vitamins and essential minerals, so keep a supply of multivitamins in your medical supplies. While we are on the subject, ensure your medical kit includes accommodations for heat-related injuries, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke. One more suggestion about a medical kit: Make sure your skills are up to date for the medical kit you have. Today, you can buy or build a very sophisticated medical kit, but if you lack the skills to use it effectively, then you can cause more damage than healing. During an emergency, there is no time to be reading a manual. Remember, emergency medical services may not be immediately available.
Let’s move on a few years to 1993. To my recollection, the winter of 92/93 wasn’t anything special. There was typical cold and average snowfall. March brought us the perfect storm. A stalled below-normal cold front and heavy incoming moisture resulted in an unprecedented storm of the century. From March 12 through March 15, snow, cold, and high winds combined to bring disaster to Western North Carolina. All of North Carolina was reported to be snowed in.
The power went out somewhere between March 13th and 14th and did not return until around March 22nd. Keeping food frozen or cold was no problem. The water froze, so we melted some of the 24 inches of snow from our backyard. We boiled some of this water for drinking while using the remaining water for flushing toilets and bathing. It worked very well. Some of what I learned during Hurricane Hugo was helpful, and some of it wasn’t. We were dealing with different seasons, different storms, and different disasters.
Our primary heat source was firewood with kerosene space heaters as a supplement. We had learned to keep adequate amounts of firewood and kerosene stored at our homestead. Keeping the wood covered and snow off of it was a steady job. It was important to make sure kerosene containers were sealed from snow and rainwater. I realized that what my dad taught me years earlier, about keeping fat-wood and kindling dry and plentiful, was indeed a necessity for staying warm. You can never really appreciate what our ancestors lived through until you have cooked over a fireplace. Camping stoves were used and helped tremendously, but cooking in the hot coals of a fireplace is a true experience. Heating a can of beans is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. But well worth it. We used kerosene lamps for light at night, and they provided a decent amount of heat.
We learned to enjoy each other’s company. Reading became an important pastime. We went to bed not long after it got dark and rose at sunrise. Every highway was closed to only emergency vehicles by order of the governor. The North Carolina National Guard mobilized to assist with clearing roads of snow and removing trees. By March 17, main roads and highways were open, but secondary roads, such as the one I live on, were still closed. Power remained a challenging task. Utility companies from out of State were standing by to help, as soon as the roads were open. A great deal of our electrical infrastructure was entirely rebuilt.
Thanks to having the appropriate type of food and its proper storage, we had plenty to eat and share if necessary. After we managed to dig out the well cap, we were able to bucket-lift water out of the well; this alone was a psychological game-changer. We got a workout shoveling snow off the driveway. Finding necessary tasks to do kept us busy and our minds focused on what was important. As we completed tasks, they were considered obstacles overcome; now we keep them in usable condition.
I hope you understand that when isolated from all but your closest neighbor, even the smallest accomplishment is an encouragement that your group or family needs. I cannot stress enough the importance of safety during and immediately after a snowstorm. Our vision suffered during and after the snow; keep handy and wear sunglasses to prevent eye damage. Freezing temperatures bring about ice and slippery conditions. Falls can result in sprains and broken bones.
Keep your first aid/trauma kit readily available and well-stocked. I will repeat this: having the best trauma kit money can buy is no good if you don’t know how to use it. Trying to read a manual while someone is screaming in pain is not going to work. Get training in first aid before you need it. I remember vividly that people died during this storm because first responders could not get to them fast enough after an injury. No one around them was prepared to help.
While on the subject of healthcare, I would like to mention your general health. During the Blizzard of ’93, folks had heart attacks because they were not healthy enough to do the work necessary, like shoveling snow, cutting trees, hauling firewood, and carrying water, to name a few. Right now, consider your health. If possible, establish a routine of training and exercise that helps you become stronger and fitter. Slow down if necessary and work at the pace that your health permits.
(To be concluded tomorrow, in Part 2.)
